In sewing machines which derive information for the formation of patterns of stitches from data stored in an electronic memory, the large quantity of stitch pattern information which can be stored facilitates the provision of large numbers of different stitch patterns but presents the problem of operator access. There exists on the exterior surface of the sewing machine such a limited space for operator controls that the limitation of the number of different patterns that may be effectively stored is imposed by the difficulty of providing a selection means.
The problem is further compounded by the fact that it is desirable to display on the sewing machine frame indicia representative of each of the stitch patterns which is available and to particularly distinguish that one of the represented stitch patterns which is effective at any given time.
The prior U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 527,314 filed Nov. 26, 1974 discloses a pattern selection system which provides an individual electric push button switch for effecting the selection of each individual stitch pattern available in the electronic memory. This referenced U.S. Patent Application provides an arrangement which enables a row of individual push button switches selectively to render effective any one of different sets of stitch patterns thus to increase the number of different stitch patterns which may be selected utilizing an array of push buttons less than the total number of available stitch patterns. This referenced prior U.S. patent application, however, requires an array of selector push buttons with a minimum spacing on the sewing machine such that an operator's finger may selectively operate any desired one.